The name Brock derives from the Gaelic word broc, meaning badger. So it’s only fitting that Burnsville High School junior Brock Boeser would choose to play hockey at the University of Wisconsin.

But Boeser’s first name and choice to attend Wisconsin isn’t exactly coincidental. He’s been immersed in Badgers culture since he was a child. His mother’s family is from Madison, and his cousin, Dan Boeser, played hockey for the Badgers from 2000-04.

“I was 4, 5, or 6 years old when I watched him play there. As I watched him play I became a Badger fan and have always wanted to play there,” Brock Boeser said.

When Boeser attended his cousin’s games, he and his family often would visit with the players after, which further instilled in Boeser a desire to be a Badger.

“It was fun to be able to bring him into the locker room and watch his eyes light up as any little kid does in that situation. That probably helped make his decision a little easier,” Dan Boeser said.

Brock Boeser gave an oral commitment to the Badgers in the spring of his sophomore year after his first varsity season with the Blaze, during which he had 12 goals and 22 assists in 19 games.

Like any good Badgers fan, Boeser grew up disliking the Gophers. But attending the University of Minnesota was an option for him.

“It was nice to know you could play at your home state, but at the end it was just Wisconsin from the start,” Boeser said.

Boeser calls Wisconsin his “dream school” but he still has two years before he skates onto the Kohl Center ice in red and white. Until then, his goal is to help get Burnsville into the state tournament for the first time since 2007.

That became much tougher when two of the Blaze’s top scorers, Tyler Sheehy and Teemu Kivihalme, elected to forgo their senior seasons to play in the United States Hockey League this season.

Playing forward opposite Boeser on Burnsville’s first line last season, Sheehy led the team with 22 goals.

With Sheehy gone, the start of the season was a bit rocky for Burnsville as they adjusted to line changes.

“The first few games we were jumping around and not doing so hot, but now that we got Will (Missling) there, we have been working really good together and have good chemistry,” Boeser said.

Boeser said he feels more pressure this season to produce the points his former teammates provided in the past. So far he has been able to step his game up to fill the void, something that was helped by his international playing experience.

Last summer Boeser played for the USA Under-17 Select Team in the Five Nations Tournament in Slovakia, leading Team USA to the gold medal with five goals and four assists. That success has continued into this hockey season.

Through the Blaze’s first eight games, Boeser has 16 points, tops in the South Suburban Conference.

“You lose guys every year, but I think Brock brings leadership,” Burnsville coach Janne Kivihalme said. “He’s a hard-nosed player. I think young guys coming in and watching that type of hockey are going to learn a lot about what it takes to be a varsity player at Burnsville.”

Boeser might be another player Kivihalme loses to the USHL. Boeser was drafted second overall by the Sioux City Musketeers this past year. But playing juniors isn’t something that Boeser is worried about at the moment.

“I’m definitely putting it up as an option,” he said. “Right now, I’m just focused on this season, and after I’ll have to decide what I’m doing for next year.”

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